by J. D. Dexter
“Are you okay? Can you hear the chanting anymore? Do you feel anything or anyone else in your mind?” she asks quickly, the questions like bullets from a gun.
I do a quick inventory. “No, nothing. Just me in here.”
Her whole body deflates. “Thank Ankah. I did not think Drake would have been part of their rites, so I did not assume that they could have reached you. Blessings be to Ankah that you are still Unseen.”
“Uh huh. I understand the words, but I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I tell her.
“Seconded,” all the boys say.
“First, Brockten and I must scatter Drake so that he cannot be used against us. The Order, now that we know he was involved, could use him to track you.”
“Right. Do you need any help?”
“No. You will not even need your trusty vacuum cleaner.” She smiles at me.
“Well, that’s good, I guess.”
She and Brockten turn away from me. Standing on either side of Drake’s body, they join hands. As soon as their palms touch, a literal rainbow forms across the space between them. Reds, blues, greens, yellows, purples, blacks, browns, arch from one pair of clasped hands to the other. The rainbow of light soon forms a sphere around all three bodies, sinking through the floor and rising above it on the other side. Almost as if the three of them are encased in a bubble that bisects part of the floor.
Muted chanting, although this time it sounds like actual words instead of a weird song through static, emerges through the colorful bubble. Gradually, a blinding, bright white light encases the trio.
Shielding my eyes, I squint through the glare and between one breath and the next, the body on the floor shimmers into a million sparkles. The light dies as the sparkles float and dissolve between Keziry and Brockten, who are left facing each other over an open expanse of laminate flooring.
Bowing their heads and with their right index fingers to their foreheads, they say in unison, “Ankah, accept this offering. Use it as you will. Let his ending be fitting for the life he chose to live. Blessings be to Ankah.”
Releasing hands, they step back and brush off their hands. They flick invisible water from their hands towards the floor, then at each other, and finally towards the ceiling. Next, they bow their heads and lift their right index fingers to their foreheads.
“Do all of your funerals look like that?” I ask once it’s clear the ceremony is finished.
They both nod.
“It was beautiful.”
They both nod again. Their faces look like they’re a couple seconds from either bursting into tears or starting a battle of epic proportions.
“Do you need some space?”
Once again, nods.
“Okay. We’ll be outside; let us know when you’re good to go.” I turn and head towards the front door.
“Blessings,” Keziry and Brockten say in unison, their voices deep and layered.
The guys and I head through the front door, out into the sunshine.
“Well, that was interesting,” Brent starts. “Quite a savings on death costs I imagine.”
We all stare at him.
“What? Just an observation.”
“Ever practical, Brent,” I say.
“Speaking of funerals, and I’m glad I’m not having them for my parents, and I’m hoping she doesn’t need it, but what about your mom?”
“That was truly a Finley question.” Brian laughs.
Brent nods at his brother. “She was convicted of attempted murder, and is now a resident of the State of Kansas at the Topeka Correctional Facility.”
“I’m sorry,” I tell them.
“She always harped on us about our actions having consequences. She gets to live with hers for the next twenty years behind bars,” Brent shrugs his shoulders, his eyes dark.
“I’m still sorry. Sorry for you both and Uncle Mark. Do you guys ever get up to see her?” I ask.
“Dad’s gone a couple of times, but Collaborative Genetics—the company he works for—is really hammering at him on the ANK-23 project. I haven’t gone,” Brian says.
“Me neither,” Brent says.
“How is Uncle Mark? I’m a little surprised he hasn’t shown his face in the last two days. And how has it only been two days? I feel like we’ve been dealing with this crap for lifetimes!”
“I called him to let him know that you and Hunter were back after I heard from Josh. He was pulled to Syv Global Headquarters in Chicago for ANK-23 work,” Brent explains.
“How is that going? Is he still afraid someone is watching him?” It seems like it was years ago that we had that fateful discussion.
“Yeah, turns out someone was watching him and copying his data. Syv Global had to announce their work. When we talked to the FBI about you guys being missing, Dad told them what he had been working on and how it intersected with your hospital stay. The FBI made some big arrests at both Syv Global and Tecknic Industries.”
“Why was Tecknic Industries involved? I thought they were just a tech company.”
“We have no idea. But SG tightened the leash on Dad, so he’s in Chicago for the foreseeable future. He wanted to keep researching the ANK-23 stuff, mainly to see if he could help you out,” Brent says.
“Did your DHS agent talk to your dad?” I ask him.
“She’s not my DHS agent,” he starts.
I snort.
“She’s not. But yes, she told him about the work DHS is doing with his research. I’m not sure how or why she did, but Dad knows about the superhero team now,” he says.
“I’m glad they were able to clean my house and fix my floors, but I really, really, really hope to never hear from them again.” I rub my hands up and down my arms. “I wonder if Team 23 has adira, and that’s why they’re all special. Not that I want to help a covert government operation take control of its citizenry, but if Keziry and Brockten could help the 23’ers develop their skills and shields, they might have a better chance of being a Goodwill Mission instead of a ridiculously high-potential death squad.”
“We will not be helping your 23’ers,” Keziry says as she and Brockten step out of the front door and join us on the front porch.
“Why not? It seems like they could use some extra help, and if they all hold the adira, it could help them better understand themselves,” I say.
“This 23’er team does not house the adira. Not as you know it. We have been aware of the program since its inception,” Brockten replies.
“What? How would you know about?” Brent asks.
“We keep track of the advancements of the worlds around us. While Earth is adjacent to Ankarrah, and not in our system itself, we’ve had agents coming here since we’ve been able to world jump,” Brockten says. “However, they have dramatically dropped in number over the last one hundred years. Once Anixia disappeared, we did not use the transporter as often. Also, your world is still very far from being able to travel through your star systems. The last report we received was that you had landed a machine on one of your neighboring planets.”
“Why come at all?” Josh asks.
“We like to welcome new societies to our solar system. We do not interfere, either helping or hindering, with the course of developing worlds, but once they do manage to world jump, they can join the greater galactic neighborhood. We like to be good neighbors.”
“You and State Farm,” I quip.
Brian gives me a high five.
Brockten just looks at me. The man is excellent at Blank Face.
“Like a good neighbor, Ankarrah is there,” I sing, wiggling my eyebrows at Brockten.
He blinks. Once.
“I’ll get you, my pretty, and your little laugh, too” I tell him.
Yeah, me and the Wicked Witch of the West. I am from Kansas after all.
The guys are all cracking up. Keziry looks confused, but is smiling in that I-have-no-idea-why-everyone-is-laughing-but-I’ll-kind-of-play-along way.
“Before we get all scoope
d up in the doom and gloom once again, let’s get some eats. This growing boy is starving.” Brian pats his flat, muscular abdomen.
“Seconded.” Even Brockten joins in on that one.
11
“So do you guys have a Division of Intergalactic Affairs or something?” I ask Keziry as Brent and Brian get dinner together, which includes grilling some massive steaks out in the backyard at Hunter’s house.
“No, we have the Public Welfare portion of the House Guard,” Keziry answers over her shoulder. She’s too busy watching Brian at the grill to meet my eyes. Both she and Brockten are back down to their original Earth sizes to fit in our cars for the short drive to Hunter’s house.
“So what happens when you have people and worlds who are bad?” Josh asks.
“We have only met a couple races who wanted to conquer Ankarrah. We quickly disabused them of the notion. Our World Defense forces are quite fierce,” she says. This time looking back at Josh, a light of fire in her eyes.
“Nice. Do you guys have space ships like the USS Enterprise?” Hunter asks.
“What does the USS Enterprise look like?”
“From Star Trek?”
I reach into my pocket and pull out my phone. Doing a quick image search, I show it to her.
“That seems quite unwieldy. Does that actually circle your planet and farther?” Her brow wrinkles.
We all laugh. “No, it’s from a television show,” Josh says. “I’m more of a Star Wars fan though.”
“I have no idea what television is, nor this star wars.”
Josh gives her a quick, down-and-dirty explanation.
“Why do you watch other people pretend to be someone else?” She sounds baffled.
“For entertainment and enjoyment,” Josh responds.
“Oh.” She looks at the ever-stoic Brockten. “We train and learn new skills for entertainment.”
Brockten nods.
“What are some of the new skills you’ve acquired?” I ask her.
“I have recently become proficient in Cam’vla Noshtu.” Her chest is about to burst, it’s so puffed up. Brockten looks impressed too.
“And what does that mean?” I ask.
“Cam’vla Noshtu is a method of divining location in space using nothing but sound waves,” she explains. Her entire face is lit up.
“Oh, so like echolocation.” Hunter clarifies. He explains at the Ankarrahi Natives’ blank looks. “We have bats, small flying rodents, who use sound to navigate space while flying.”
Keziry’s face clears. “Then yes. Exactly like that. I’ve been studying it for years now. There is a small clan in our Northern Region who use Cam’vla Noshtu almost exclusively. They live deep in the cisterns and caves in that part of our world. One of their Clan elders has been instructing me.”
“That sounds amazing.” Turning to Brockten, I ask, “What about you?”
“What about me?”
“What have you recently learned?” I ask.
“I have been learning Zhnathma Oit.”
Keziry is unsuccessful in hiding her gasp. “Really? I did not know there were any teachers left.”
“Yes. Maktouh has been teaching me.” He nods. “She is an excellent instructor. Although I have not yet received lessons from her in Gantmuhan. Her lifemate, Zhan, is also a Zhnathma Oit instructor. I could put him in touch with you, if you wish to begin lessons.”
Keziry’s cheeks flush as she darts covert looks at Brian. “I might take you up on that,” she says quietly.
“Oh, now I’ve got to know. What is gant moo han, and that other thing? I won’t butcher your language any more than I have to.”
“Gantmuhan is a form of fighting on Maktouh’s home world. Zhnathma Oit is one type of essence sharing,” Brockten informs us. He could be discussing accountancy for all his enthusiasm.
“What is involved in essence sharing?” I ask.
“Do you not have essence sharing here on Earth?” Keziry asks, her surprise clear.
“Considering I just asked what’s involved in it, I’m going to go with a solid ‘no.’” I look at Josh and Hunter. They just shake their heads.
“How do your young come into existence?” Brockten asks.
“Our young? Like kids?” I ask.
Hunter starts laughing quietly.
“Essence sharing, kids…come on, Angel-baby, you can get there,” he says.
Josh’s shoulders are shaking, and I think I heard his teeth hit the edge of the beer bottle.
“Sex?!” Laughter explodes from everyone around the table. “You’re talking about sex? Huh. I didn’t know you could study it like, I don’t know, math.” I shrug my shoulders.
“But your instructor already has a lifemate?” I ask Brockten.
“Yes, they have been together for at least one thousand of your years.”
“How does that zee-thing work between different species? Does everyone have the same equipment?” I ask.
Brockten looks at me like I’m stupid…once again.
“What equipment?”
“Equipment. You know…penises and vaginas. Wait, do you guys have those?”
“Finley-babe, your quest for new anatomical knowledge has once again exceeded what my ears can handle. Stop asking so many nosy questions,” Brian growls from across the deck.
“I’m interested, too.” Hunter raises his beer.
“Suck it, Brian!” I turn back to Brockten. “So?”
“Yes, we have…those…things, but they have nothing to do with essence sharing.” He glares at me, a touch of pink riding his high cheekbones.
“But…okay, now I’m just confused. Our young, we call them kids, come from having sex. A transmission of bodily fluids during intercourse. If a sperm fertilizes an egg, a child is created,” I say.
“Oh,” Keziry laughs. “That is not Zhnathma Oit. Essence sharing is when we comingle our essences. Our young are not born of body, but of spirit. We do engage in…sex, you called it? …but purely for pleasure and fun.”
“But Brock does not believe in fun.” She winks at him.
“And you believe in too much fun, Kez,” he fires back.
Brian’s growl drifts on the breeze from the grill.
A fuzzy spark of light zings toward Brockten. I didn’t even see Keziry move her hands. Brockten throws himself from his chair, and pops to his feet, hands raised.
“Hey now, don’t destroy my deck. I just had it re-stained,” Hunter says before taking another lazy drink.
Keziry and Brockten raise eyebrows at each other. Their faces twitch in super-speed as they chat mentally. Apology splashes over Keziry’s face right before Brockten bows his head.
“We apologize, Hunter. Our behavior is shameful.” Both Natives bow, their index fingers tapping their brows once.
“No worries. I just didn’t want anything broken. Nor would I classify your behavior as shameful, at least not by Earth standards. Just sounds like two friends ragging on each other,” he says.
“Ragging on each other?” Brockten asks, righting the chair to sit once again.
“Teasing, joking, having fun,” I clarify.
“Oh,” Brockten nods. “Keziry and I are long-time friends. But we should not have spoken of such things to virtual strangers.”
“And don’t think you can toy with Brian that way, Keziry. We don’t have sex just for fun and pleasure. Well, at least the people in this group usually don’t. To us, it’s much more important than that. Close, I imagine, to your essence sharing,” I send my words to her mind.
She turns to me, startled. “Really?”
“Really. If you don’t want to essence share with Brian, don’t travel that path with him.”
“I will think on this. Thank you, Finley. I do not like to hurt my partners, and would have done so simply because of a misunderstanding. I am in your debt.” She taps her forehead and bows her head slightly.
“Chow’s on. Get your plates,” Brent calls from the open sliding door.
/> ***
“So, if I’m keeping track correctly, we have three subjects to discuss more fully before we get too far down any one road,” Brent says after everyone’s plates are cleared away.
Keziry and Brockten looked a little put off by the fact that we were eating meat from animals, but once they tasted it, they were on board whole hog.
“What are the three subjects again?” I ask. I never wrote them down in my phone, so I’m glad someone else has been keeping track.
Flipping his fingers in the air to count them, Brent says, “Jessica, training, and whatever the crap that was when you zapped Drake’s brain.”
“Right. Well, for the Jessica portion of the party, I’m guessing since because he was the Out Prime on Ankarrah that he’s a pretty big deal on that world.” I look to the Natives.
They nod.
To the guys, I say, “The world defense leader for the southern part of their planet.”
Nods all around.
“How did he end up being my male sperm donor?”
“Essence sharing, as previously discussed, does not include your version of sex. When two people wish to have young, they simply merge their essences and a new child is produced. Many people produce young for many different reasons.”
“Anixia was hoping to increase her power holdings by sharing with Shavix. Shavix was hoping to have a companion he could raise to take his place. He has not been able to successfully merge his essence with many women due to issues with his power,” Keziry explains.
“Shavix is massively strong, but something about his energy pattern does not merge well with most Ankarrahi women. He has struggled for centuries to produce a young. Most women he has shared with have either died or gone mad,” Brockten adds. “I only know of one young who grew to adulthood before dying in an Out Battle against Xiantha.”
“Anixia is our most powerful woman. She carries within her the origins of all Ankarrahi powers,” Keziry says quietly.
“Is she a Creative?” I ask.
“No, she is not. This is the one area in which she is lacking, but considering the rarity of the gift, she is still considered our most powerful female.”
